Compressed-air motor.



raw. OMAN. COMPRESSED AIR MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG I. 1914.

1 1 8 1 ,5 3 6 I Patented May 2, 1916.

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APPLICATIO N FILED AUG. h I914- l,181,536.

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Patented May 2, 1916.

J. W. OMAN.

COMPRESSED AIR MOTOR.

APPLICATION men AUG-1,1914x Patented May 2, 1916.

J. W. OMAN.

COMPRESSED MR MOTGR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG 1, 1914.

Patented May -0f the upper oFFion.

JQHN W. OMAN. OF ST. LOUIS, D'LISSOURI.

COMPRESSED-AIR MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .llay2. I916.

Application filed August 1. 1914. Serial No. 854,440.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JUHX \V. ()MAX. a citizen of-the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis and State of h'lissouri. have invented a new and useful (ompressed-Air Motor. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motors and more partici'llarly to a motor adapted to be driven hy'compressed air. with provision for expandinp the air whereby a high pressure produced and introducing charges of the operating fluid for drivin; the motor.

An object of the invention is to provide a power plant'comprising an air con'ipressor. in combination with an expansion chamber. and means for introducing charges of the expanded operating fluid at proper intervals into chambers whereby the motor is driven.

Another object of the invention is to provide a power plant comprising an air coinpressor operated by the power generated by the motor, in combination with an expansion chamber and the working: cylinders of the motor, with connections for automatically controlling the passage of the operat ing: fluid whereby charges thereof will he introducerl into the working cylinders of the engine at proper intervals.

Other objects of my invention and the advantages to be attained therefrom will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following' detailed disclosure thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. in which I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the air compressor and tank; the rotor, contain-- ing! the working cylinders. as well as the expansion chamber being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the air compressor unit. a part housing being broken away showing: more clearly the interior construction of certain of the-pumps. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the rotor element shown in elevation and the expansion chambers shown in section. together with the pipe connections and automatically controlled valve f r the admission of the operating fluid to the working cylinders of the rotor. Fig. 5 is a. vertical section tl'irough a fragment of the rotor and one of the expansion chainhers together with a sectional view of the mechanism for the admission of the operating fluid to the rotor. Fig. (3 is a serlion of the compressor showing the arrangement of the valves in the pump pistons, and the valves between the pumps and the air tank. in connection with the compressor. Fig. 7 is a. transverse section substantiall on the line T i of Fig. and, Fifi. 8 is a side elevation of a reciprocating engine illustrating' the application of my invention for the operation of this type of motor.

in the embodiment of my invention illus trated in the drawings. the compressor A comprises a plurality of pump cylinders l zuljacently arranged in a housin 2. listous 2, are operatively mounted in said cylinders 1 and are opcratively connected by couneetinn-rods l to a crankshaft The shaft 5 is journaled in an open rankcase arranged below the cylinder housing The lower end of each of said pump cylinders is open and the opposite end is provided with uniformly arranged valves comprising matching plates 7 and 8. Each of the plates 8 is provided with a central port 9 and each of the plates 7 is provided with ports 10 which are staggered with respect to the port 9.

Each of the plates 8 is mounted to slide vertically in the space provided by the flanged retaining-rings ll. sufficient move ment of the plates 8 being permitted for the admission of pressure from the. upper part of the pump cylinders 1 through the ports 9 and 10 to the containeror tank 3 disposed above said pumps. Thus, it will be ap parent that the arrangement of the valves between the compressor A and the tank B is such that, when the pistons 3 are driven upwardly. the valves at the top of the cylinders will open and admit the pressure gencrated by the pumps to the tank. The ar-f rangement of the parts justdescribed will he. most clearly apparent by reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings.

Each of the pistons 3 is formed. with a plurality of o 'ienings 12 thercthrough, said openings being controlled by a. valve in the form of a plate 13 having, an axial port 14 arranged therein. The plates'l3 are mounte on the top of the pistons 3 and are retained from i lisplaeement and limited in movement with respect to the pistons by a plurality of rods 15 mounted to slide in channels lo formed in the pistons. The lower ends of the r ds l5 are provided with enlarged heads 17 ()(J'zltlflg in enlarged recesses 18 at the ends of the channels 16, whereby the upward movement of the plates 13 is limited.

It will be apparent that, when the pistons travel downwardly, a charge of air through the crank-case will pass through the openings 12, raising the plate 13 and opening the port 14, whereby the charge is introduced above the pistons 3, and that upon the upward stroke of the piston the plate 13 will be reseated thereby closing the port 1.4, the charge in the upper end of the piston being compressed and introduced into the tank in a manner hereinbefore described. v

For the purpose of manually operating the crank-shaft 5 for introducing an initial pressure into the tank B, I provide a crank-arm 19 attached to one end of said crank-shaft, with which it may be operatively engaged by a clutch device 20, of known. construction. The tank B is of any desired construction and capacity and is adapted to contain a quantity of air under a substantial degree of compression. The passage 31 establishes communication be-' tween the tank B and the expansion chambers C, said passage 21 being controlled by a check-valve 92 operating outwardly from the tank B.

\Vhen the inventionis embodied in a rotary engine or turbine it is preferred to provide two expansion chambers C disposed on radial lines with respect to the rotor, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In such an embodiment the passage 21 is provided 'ith branches 23 which com- "inunicate with the expansion chambers C, respectively. Each expansion chamber C .comprises a case or housing 24 in which are disposed coils 25 which communicate at one end with the pipes or passages 23, said pipes or passages extending through one, end of the housings 24. The opposite ends of the coils 25 enter chambers 26 incased within the housings 24. The chambers 26 are supplied with a. quantity of steel filings, or other material adapted for heat radiation 'and through which the air introduced into the chambers 26 through the coils 25 may pass.

Arranged Within the housings 2d are burners 27 which are provided with a plu rality of jets for expansion chamber, and thereby the coils 25 and the contents of the chambers 26. Thus, it will be apparent that the air introduced into the expansion chambers through the pipes 23 under compression will be heated as it passes through the coils 25 and the chambers 26 to a considerable degree, whereby the degree of pressure will be greatly increased. The expanded air exits from the expansion chambers through passages 28 which are .controlled by globe heating the interior of the valves 29 from which theexpanded air is automatically admitted to the working coinpartments of the rotor by means of the mechanism clearly illustrated in detail in Fig. 5 of the drawings, which mechanism will be hereinafter more particularly described.

The, rotor 1) comprises a wheel 30 in the periphery of which is formed a plurality of recesses 31 constituting the working conipartments. The housings 32 of the fluid injecting mechanisms are adapted vto rest on the periphery of the rotor and are provided with interiorly arranged grooves which a re adapted to cooperate with annular tongues 3i formed on the periphery of the rotor at either side of the recesses 31, there by constituting a seal between the adjacent edges of the housings 32 and the periphery of the rotor. Anti-friction devices in the form of rollers 35 supported by brackets 36, said rollers being adapted to ride on the periphery of the rotor D. may be provided if desired. Communication, between each of the housings 32 and the respective passages 28 when the globe valves 29 are open, is automatically controlled by a slide-valve 37 actuated from the plate 38 which plate is adapted to ride on the periphery of the rotor. The plate 38 is secured to a rockshaft 3%) supported by the side walls of the housing 32 and is adapted to seatin and rise out of the recesses 31 as the rotor operates, the free end following the contour of the rotor within the recess. The under side of the plate 38 is provided with a roller 40 supported by brackets 41 secured thereto. The forward end of the plate 38 is disposed obliquely downwardly as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the edge thereof engaging with the surface of the rotor within the recess.

An eccentric 42 is n'iounted on a bracket 43 which is secured to the upper face of the housing 32. A connecting-rod it provides means for actuating the eccentric 42 from the rock-shaft 39. A link 45 connects the slide-valve 37 with the eccentric 42 and provides means for opening the valve whenever the plate 38 lowers into a recess 31. An ex.

pans'ion spring 46 encircling a stem 47 con nected to the valve 37 constitutes a shock 1 sorber when the valve is opened and provides means for assisting in restoring the valve to closed position.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the expanded air, passing into the housing 32 above the plate 38 when said plate has dropped into one of the recesses 31, thereby opening the valve 37, will impinge against the end walls of the re cesses 31 and, as the tendency of thefair is to expand with great force, the rotor will. be driven thereby.

The arrangement of the duplicate-fluid injecting (levicos is such that lung will lw ultm'nntcly fol'cml inln ll, PEMKSUSVIH. the n-wpvulive valves 37 n1 ilo (lnplimle in ii-fling ill-vimx being so :unngml as in npm :lllnrnuloly. A cnnstvnt force will ilHlS lm applied to Hi0 pcripnyy of the l'ntur tnngl l-w tinll) in ils :iXiS :11 d will tll.(l(i) mum llw wnnv tn revolve Hi 1 speed and Willl a power proportionate tn the fni'vo of the vxpumling; air.

In 0min: 0 animal the lllQ'lW} of piwmv within the tank I), I prnvn'ie' n Yul: l8 adapted tn operate, :1 elnlcli 19 tin-(nigh tin arm 50 for disconnecting the UHIHEHW'SSHT l l'lllll l lll? source of power when. a l)!(\i(ili minvll limit; of pressure ln1 hvvn i'mvhwl in llln tank. The nporzliinli (if this x'nlw will lm nlem'ly apparent fllllmili lllf'ili t luilml llisnlnmiw ilniz'volL 'llw inlm' l) :nlaphwl to (lllfl! a pnn'mwlnil't 3'1 lli ll may lie (Ollllfit'tld in n (ll'lVlll wlnwl In: by nwznn; nf :1 nulw-cllllcll mush-nation 535* ill lmnwn design.

111 Fig. of the drawings, 1 have slmwn my invention ml: ptwl for use in Cullllwllnfi with :1 i'm-iprncnl'ing engine. In thin. mnlmilimonl tlw compressor A, the hull lv lllil tnn expansion Chamber C are of tho (OllSil'lHilml :iml llvsign as lwreinlwV-fnrc alv svriln-(l. '1

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ilk-main inn in said working part, a compressor driven b v said working part, a tank in communication with said compressor, an expansion chamlfia', means for delivering heat to said expansion chamber, and automatic means foraleliveringg charges of the actuating fluid lrom' said expansion chamber to the cone partmtaits in said working part, whereby the m may be driwn, substantial! as specilied.

(3. A power plant, comprising a compressor composed of a plurality of pump elements, a tank in connection with all of said pump e ements. automatically controlled valves between said pump elements and said tank, expansion chambers in connnunication with said tank, a rotor, and automatic means for delivering, charges of the actuating fluid from said expansion chamber to said ntor, whereb) the same is driven, substantially as specified.

T, In an engine, a main shaft, a driving element for driving" said main shaft, a coinpressor (meratively connected to said main shaft, a tank, an expansion chamber, a \alved passage between said tank and said expansion chamber, and automatic means for delivering charges from said expansion chamber for actuating said driving element, substantiaijy as specified.

2*. An ei'igrine. comprising a main shaft, means. for driving said shaft, a compressor, a clutch device between said compressorand said a ain shaft, a tank in connnunication with said compressm, an expansion chamber in eonnnunication with said tank, automatic means operated by the pressure in said tank for controlling said clutch, and automatic means controlling the passage of the actuating fluid from said expansion chamber to said driving means, substantiall as specified.

5). An engine, comprising a main shaft, a compressor operatively connected to said main shaft, manual means for operating said compressor, a tank in comnmnication with said compressor, a pair of expansion chambers, a rotor mounted on said main shalt, and means for alternately admitting, pressure from said expansion chambers to said rotor, whereby the same is driven, substain tiall as specified.

10. i\n engine, comprising, a main shaft, a rotor provided with a series of chambers in the periphery thereof, .1 compressor, a tank -t'or containing the fluid generated by said compressor, an expansion chamber, and means for admitting charges from said expansion chamber to the chambers in said rotor, whereb said rotor is driven, substantially as specified.

In witness whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J OHS XV. OMAN. \Vitnesses:

K. R. McDoNALn, L. C. Kixosiixxn. 

